Somchai Baimuang, deputy director of the Thai Meteorological Department (TMD), says the average rainfall since the start of this year was higher compared to the same period last year.
However, he says, it was too early to say if the amount of rainfall this year will be higher than last year and that his agency would have to monitor the situation for another three months.
He adds that he personally believes that flooding this year would be lower than last year because most of last year's flooding had been caused by heavy rainfall early in the rainy season. In addition, plenty of floodprevention measures have been taken to block the water flow, he says.